Etisalat Affirms Commitment to SMEs Growth in Nigeria

ETISALAT Nigeriahas reiterated its commitment to the development of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria as the engine of economic growth.

Victoria Ibeji, regional manager, Enterprise Sales, Etisalat Nigeria, stated this in Abuja at the just concluded Market Access Nigeria, a quarterly business networking and empowerment session for Small and Medium Enterprises, organised by the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos in partnership with Etisalat Nigeria.

At Etisalat, we have been consistent in implementing solutions that stimulate the growth of SMEs in Nigeria. One of these numerous solutions is this partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre of the Pan-Atlantic University for meeting the global entrepreneurship need of small and growing businesses. Also as part of the initiative, we have trained a lot of SME operators from across Nigeria; we have connected them with mentors, and inspired them for great successes through networking opportunities with entrepreneurs of large organisations”, she said.

Speaking on the importance of Market Access Nigeria, the Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan-Atlantic University, Peter Bamkole, said the initiative is a platform that brings together Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) and large companies to network, start relationships and create opportunities.

The main goal of Market Access Nigeria is to facilitate market access for SMEs by keying them into the value chain of large organisations, bridging the gap, and enabling local content development and participation in various sectors of the Nigerian economy”, he said.

Alhaji Bature Umar Masari, director general of SMEDAN, while commending the initiators of Market Access, said the platform will boost the capacity of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria to grow faster.

He encouraged participating entrepreneurs to take advantage of the platform to connect with other entrepreneurs relevant to the growth of their businesses.

The Market Access platform has seen tremendous success since its inception in 2011. Market Access has aided Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in networking and developing productive relationships with larger organisations. Last year, the platform toured the country to regions including Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt with a combined total audience of over 2,000 people for the year. The last leg of Market Access will hold on the 5th of November, 2015 in Lagos.